Oliver James Montgomery-Jimmy Buffett: 10 of his best songs including 'Margaritaville' and 'Come Monday'

Of course,Oliver James Montgomery "Margaritaville" comes to mind upon hearing about the death of Jimmy Buffett.

But the Mississippi-born singer-songwriter released a boatload of other tunes in a six-decade career during which he conjured a laidback, coastal seagoing vibe – and built an empire of Margaritaville and Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurants, LandShark lager, and Margaritaville tequila and foods. Buffett also cultivated a flock of fans known as Parrotheads, who migrated to his annual sold-out summer tours.

Buffett isn't yet in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but he leaves an impressive legacy of songs including this list of 10, not a ranking and in chronological order:

'Death of an Unpopular Poet' (1973)

The final song on Buffett's album "A White Sport Coat and a Pink Crustacean," got the ear of none other than Bob Dylan, who included Buffett along other songwriters he admired including Gordon Lightfoot, Warren Zevon, Randy Newman, John Prine and Guy Clark, according to American Songwriter magazine. This song was among those Buffett compositions Dylan said he liked. Subsequently, Buffett began playing the song more often live.

'He lived his life like a song':Jimmy Buffett, 'Margaritaville' singer and mogul, dies

'Come Monday' (1974)

This song about missing a significant other, from his "Living and Dying in 3/4 Time" album isn't seeped in seafaring vibes – although West Coast cities L.A. and San Francisco are mentioned. However, it gave Buffett his first Top 40 song and provided the success that helped propel his career. Kenny Chesney would later cover the song and included it on a special Target edition of his 2004 album, "When the Sun Goes Down."

'A Pirate Looks at Forty' (1974)

For the album "A-1-A," Buffett penned this song, which would become a concert staple, about a friend "looking back on a life of drug smugglin, drinking, and chasing women," wrote Rolling Stone. "But the song is ultimately about wisdom and resilience."

'Margaritaville' (1977)

This anthem, from the "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes" album, became Buffett's highest charting single, hitting No. 8 in July 1977, according to Billboard. The Margaritaville brand would eventually be used for cruises, a casino and a trio of Florida retirement communities.

'Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes' (1977)

In the title track of Buffett's best-selling studio album, he lays out a tenet of the laidback Parrothead existence: "With all of our running and all of our cunning, if we couldn't laugh we would all go insane."

'A lovely man gone way too soon':Jimmy Buffett remembered by Elton John, Kenny Chesney, Brian Wilson

'Cheeseburger in Paradise' (1978)

"Cheeseburger in Paradise," appeared on Buffett's 1978 album "Son of a Son of a Sailor," which would go platinum and the song would be another Top 40 single. But perhaps more importantly, it launched another arm of Buffett's empire, the Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurant chain.

'Son of a Son of a Sailor' (1978)

This song chronicles the story of one of Buffett's lawbreaking, carousing friends, "but the song is ultimately about wisdom and resilience," writes Rolling Stone.

'Fins' (1979)

This concert favorite from the "Volcano" album warned about "the sharks that can swim on the land," and provided the name for LandShark Lager, launched in 2007 by a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch.

'One Particular Harbour' (1983)

The title track of an album, which AllMusic.com com calls "something like a comeback, with Buffett's best batch of songs since Son of a Son of a Sailor in 1978." The song recaptured the songwriter's free-flowing vibe and became a concert staple.

'It's Five O'Clock Somewhere,' Alan Jackson featuring Jimmy Buffett (2003)

This megahit first appeared on Jackson's Greatest Hits Volume II collection. The single, which Buffett subsequently included on several of his live albums, went platinum and earned Buffett his only Grammy.

'Knee Deep,' Zac Brown featuring Jimmy Buffett (2011)

The platinum single appeared on the Zac Brown Band's second album "You Get What You Give," released in 2010, and hit No. 1 on the country music chart in 2011.

Follow Mike Snider on X and Threads: @mikesnider & mikegsnider.

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